TeachAAPI Appoints Nikki Keahi Kealalio Inaugural Chief Executive Officer

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Nikki Keahi Kealalio, Chief Executive Officer TeachAAPI

Mission-Driven Leader Brings 15+ Years of National Nonprofit and Tech Experience to Nation’s Leading AAPI K-12 Education Organization

Having the opportunity to guide TeachAAPI into its next phase is an honor and a privilege, I see the work being done as my kuleana – my responsibility – to my communities and to the next generation.”

— Nikki Keahi Kealalio, Chief Executive Officer, TeachAAPI

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, April 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- TeachAAPI, the non-profit organization dedicated to creating systemic change in the perception of Asians and Pacific Islanders in America through enhancing AAPI education in schools, today announced the appointment of Nikki Keahi Kealalio as its inaugural Chief Executive Officer. The appointment marks a pivotal moment for an organization that has grown from a personal response to anti-Asian hate into a national education movement.
“Nikki’s appointment marks a defining moment for TeachAAPI,” said co-founders Ann Kono and Renee Yang. “We built this organization because our children experienced firsthand what happens when AAPI stories are left out of the classroom — and because we believed education was the most powerful and lasting way to change that. Nikki has lived that truth. Her experience scaling national programs, combined with her personal connection to Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, makes her exactly the leader we need to move our work forward.”

Having reached more than 250,000 students across 375+ schools since launching in 2021, and with a goal of reaching one million students by 2028, TeachAAPI’s bottoms-up approach to systemic change is now expanding from its California base into New York, Nevada, Texas and a growing list of states where educator demand and legislative momentum are building. Kealalio steps in as TeachAAPI moves from proving its model to scaling it.

Kealalio brings more than 15 years of leadership experience to the table in both corporate and nonprofit spaces. She has a history of designing processes, building teams, and helping to expand organizations. She has spent the past five years at The Posse Foundation, serving as both the Posse Los Angeles Director and, most recently, a Regional Vice President. Her work in education, equity, and inclusion, as well as her personal ties to TeachAAPI’s mission, makes Kealalio the right person for the moment.

“Having the opportunity to guide TeachAAPI into its next phase is an honor and a privilege,” said Kealalio. “I see the work being done as my kuleana – my responsibility – to my communities and to the next generation.”

As an Asian American and Kanaka Maoli who grew up in Gardena, CA, Kealalio understands a formal education gets you only so far. “The things I learned from my hula teachers, ʻōiwi leaders, and leaders of the Asian American movement - those are the things that shaped my perspective,” said Kealalio. “It’s our responsibility to share the stories of those that came before us and TeachAAPI is doing just that, and, in the process, developing empathetic leaders and critical thinkers.”

Kealalio’s appointment comes ahead of AAPI Heritage Month in May, a key moment of visibility and advocacy for the organization. This year, TeachAAPI enters the month with new leadership, new case study materials from partner schools, and a national expansion strategy that targets states with high AAPI student populations, existing legislative momentum, and growing educator demand. The organization’s work is done, in its own words, when every K-12 child in the country sees AAPI stories as American stories. Kealalio arrives ready to close that distance.

About TeachAAPI
TeachAAPI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) representation and education. Through curriculum development, teacher training, and community engagement, TeachAAPI empowers educators to accurately and authentically teach AAPI experiences, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to learn a complete American story. Learn more at teachaapi.org.

For TeachAAPI
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